X-Rays Spex

Rays to activate Wilson Ramos and DFA Derek Norris; Matt Duffy update

June 24, 2017 By Schmitty Leave a Comment

The Tampa Bay Rays bolstered their already potent lineup by activating C Wilson Ramos following Friday night’s 15-5 blowout of the Orioles. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

The Tampa Bay Rays will bolster an already potent lineup this afternoon by activating catcher Wilson Ramos from the 60-day DL.

Roster announcement for tomorrow: #Rays will activate C Wilson Ramos. C Derek Norris will be DFA.

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 24, 2017

To clear space on the roster for Ramos, the Rays announced they will designate catcher Derek Norris for assignment.

Ramos signed an incentive-laden deal with Tampa Bay last December, in spite of a right knee injury that he suffered while playing for the Nationals. The team knew he would miss the bulk of the first half while completing the rehabilitation of a torn ACL.

I feel so comfortable, really good moving behind the plate, Ramos told the Tampa Bay Times. Right now I feel very good and ready to play, ready to get activated.

If Ramos can produce anything close to what he did last season — slashing .307 BA/.354 OBP/.496 SLG/.850 OPS with 22 home runs in 523 plate appearances — he’ll bolster a potent lineup that’s already on pace to hit 252 homers and score 800 runs. With Tampa Bay in a fairly solid position to contend for a postseason berth, Ramos may deliver a significant boost in advance of the trade deadline, allowing the Rays to instead look for relief help.

Norris, 28, was added just before the start of the season after he was released by the Nationals. And while he helped to bridge the gap between the start of the season and the return of Ramos, he struggled both at and behind the plate (six passed balls, six errors).

To his credit, Norris ended his tenure with the Rays with a bang, by hitting a second inning double and his ninth homer in last night’s 15-5 blowout against the Orioles, yet that capped a 9-for-63 skid at the plate. Overall, Norris has managed just a .188 BA/.242 OBP/.347 SLG/.769 OPS line in 198 plate appearances on the season. Still, given his past success at the plate and pitch-framing reputation, he figures to draw plenty of interest elsewhere.

In doing so, Jesus Sucre will stay aboard as the backup catcher, as he gives the team better defense overall, can shut down the running game, hits well with runners in scoring position and works well with the Rays’ pitching staff. Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) Sucre is likely to get the bulk of catching duties initially until the Rays are comfortable playing Ramos behind the plate for multiple games.

Matt Duffy update

Matt Duffy, who has yet to complete the rehab assignment he started with the Class-A Charlotte Stone Crabs in early May, traveled to Charlotte N.C. this week for an examination by Dr. Bob Anderson — the orthopedic surgeon who operated on Duffy’s heal on September 9, 2016. Anderson removed a pea-sized calcium deposit that is thought to be the root of Duffy’s chronic irritation.

We’re hoping that that is what’s been causing all the irritation, Cash said, because it was taken right from the spot where he gets most of this pain.

Cash told the Tampa Bay Times that Duffy will resume his baseball activities once his stitches heal. Duffy missed all of spring training because of the lingering issue, though it’s thought the team might be able to accelerate the shortstop’s return, since he has been working out with the team at Tropicana Field.

We’re being cautiously optimistic about that, Cash said.

Note: we are still awaiting the news of the return of Brad Boxberger. Once that breaks I will either update this piece, or write a different one.

Rays 6/23/17 starting lineup and pregame notes; Colby Rasmus placed on the 10-day DL

June 23, 2017 By belowaverage Leave a Comment

Colby Rasmus has been placed on the 10-day DL, retroactive to June 19. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

The Tampa Bay Rays are back at it tonight, when they will welcome the Baltimore Orioles into the Trop for a three-game series. The Rays will try to add some distance between them and the bottom of the league, while the Orioles will try to become relevant again.

Rays 6/23/17 Starting Lineup

Smith CF
Dickerson DH
Longoria 3B
Morrison 1B
Souza RF
Peterson LF
Beckham SS
Robertson 2B
Norris C
Archer RHP

Noteworthiness

— Even though they were expected to make multiple roster moves this afternoon, the only move the Rays made had more to do with the loss of a player — that being OF Colby Rasmus, who was placed on the 10-day DL left hip tendinitis (retroactive to June 19) — as opposed to one or two critical pieces. Rasmus told Roger Mooney (Tampa Bay Times) that the tendinitis, which he also experienced a bout with it during Spring Training, is related to his offseason surgery. He can be activated from the DL as early as June 29, and expects to be back when asked to return.

The #Rays place OF Colby Rasmus on the 10-day DL (left hip tendinitis), retro to June 19. OF Shane Peterson has been selected from Durham.

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 23, 2017

OF Shane Peterson, who spent some time with the Rays earlier this season, will take Rasmus’ place on the roster while he mends.

It was believed that both RHP Brad Boxberger and C Wilson Ramos would be activated from the DL as early as this afternoon. While Ramos is currently at the Trop, he isn’t certain when he’ll be activated

I’m ready, said Ramos. As soon as they tell me I’ll be able.

Likewise, Boxberger also is on hand at the Trop, as he is done with his rehab assignment. He, too, is waiting to be given the word on when he will be activated.

— Per Chris Cotillo (SB Nation), SS Adeiny Hechavarria will soon be traded, and the Rays reportedly have interest, along with the Cardinals and Orioles.

— You can read about tonight’s pitching matchup, and so much more, in our series preview.

The New What Next: Rays vs. Orioles — a series preview

June 23, 2017 By belowaverage Leave a Comment

On Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays will again welcome the Baltimore Orioles into the Trop for a three-game series. (Photo Credit: Anthony Ateek/X-Rays Spex)

On Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays will again welcome the Baltimore Orioles into Tropicana Field for a three-game series.

(Stats: ESPN)

When considering the 2017 PECOTA projections, the Rays are living up to their expectations. They’ll head into the series just 2-1/2 games out of first place, seated comfortably in second place (with the Yankees and Red Sox virtually tied for first) in one of the best divisions in baseball. That doesn’t mean they are playing excellent baseball, rather, they’re out-hitting their mistakes — something they will have to tighten up if they hope to remain relevant.

It’s a big series for both teams as we quickly approach the midway point of the season. The Rays have an opportunity to further separate themselves from the two teams beneath them in the standings. Though with the recent slump by the Yankees, the AL East appears to be up for grabs, and as bad as the Orioles have played, they are still only five games out of first place.

Still, the Orioles are 1-10 in their last 11 road games against a team with a winning record — 6-20 in their last 26 road games against a team with a winning home record. Meanwhile, the Rays are 4-1 in their last five games against a team with a losing record, 7-2 in their last nine home games.

A simple fact, Baltimore is terrible on the road, while Tampa Bay has been great at home.

(Stats: FanGraphs)

Over the next three days, Kevin Cash will lean on Chris Archer (5-4, 3.75 ERA, 2.88 FIP), Jacob Faria (3-0, 1.37 ERA, 1.51 FIP), and Jake Odorizzi (4-3, 3.78 ERA, 5.34 FIP). Buck Showalter will counter with Ubaldo Jimenez (2-2, 6.94 ERA, 7.08 FIP), Dylan Bundy (7-6, 3.72 ERA, 4.64 FIP), and Chris Tillman (1-5, 8.39 ERA, 6.52 FIP).

(Stats: FanGraphs)

Pitching Matchups

Archer picked up his first win since May 26 in a 3-2 victory over Detroit. He fanned eight over six innings, while allowing two earned runs. The right-hander also extended his franchise-record streak of 100-pitch games to 24. After struggling through his last outing (four runs across six innings), Archer notched his fourth quality start in six tries. He has been inconsistent as of late, although the right-hander boasts a solid 3.75 ERA/2.88 FIP to go with an impressive 11.4 K/9 through 15 starts. Baltimore tagged Archer for five runs 6-2/3 innings of work earlier this season.

Jimenez worked around four hits and four walks in an impressive seven-inning return to the mound as a started on Sunday; his first start since May 22. His four previous outings came in relief. Showalter had Jimenez on a short leash in his last start against the Rays, who tagged him for three runs on three hits (including a homer) and five walks over just 3-1/3 innings on April 24. Still, the right-hander is 5-2 with a 3.47 ERA against Tampa Bay over nine career starts. Key Matchups: Tim Beckham (1-1, BB), Logan Morrison (5-9, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB), Colby Rasmus (13-43, 6 2B, 3B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB)

Faria continued his impressive rookie campaign, holding Detroit to just one run over seven innings while fanning nine. He walked only one. Faria became only the fifth pitcher since 1913 to pick up a win while hurling at least six innings and allowing no more than a run in each of his first three career games.

Bundy received a loss on Monday after surrendering six earned runs on six hits (including a homer) 4-1/3 innings against Cleveland. It appears that Bundy’s recent struggles are the result of a heavy workload, so he has been pushed back in the order so he can get some extra days of rest. Bundy, Baltimore’s former top prospect, certainly could use that rest, as he has a 7.63 ERA in his past three starts. To his credit, Bundy threw 6-1/3 quality innings against Tampa Bay on April 26, allowing just two runs on four hits (including two homers). Key Matchups: Tim Beckham (2-3, 2 HR, 2 RBI), Evan Longoria (2-8, HR, RBI), Logan Morrison (2-8, 2B)

Odorizzi equaled a season high in his seven inning start against Cincinnati his last time out. He, however, continued his stretch of games, where he allowed at least a homer to 10 games straight — one shy of a franchise record. The right-hander cruised through the first four innings, yet a solo home run by Scott Schebler in the fifth inning and a two-run shot from Scooter Gennett in the sixth left the Rays down by three when he departed after the seventh. Still, the right-hander delivered his second quality start in the last three outings and holds a respectable 3.78 ERA (but a bloated 5.34 FIP) for the season.

Tillman hasn’t earned a win since May 7, his first start of the season. The right-hander was pulled after he allowed five earned runs over four innings against Cleveland on Tuesday. After missing the first month of the season due to a shoulder issue, and then tossing five pristine innings in his 2017 debut, Tillman’s been nothing short of a dumpster fire. His ERA now stands at 8.39, and the only thing that’s kept him in the rotation is a lack of alternatives within the organization. The Rays have handed him a career 8-11 record and a 4.11 ERA in 25 starts. Key Matchups: Tim Beckham (1-4, RBI, BB), Peter Bourjos (1-2), Evan Longoria (19-63, 4 2B, 3B, 8 HR, 11 RBI, 5 BB), Logan Morrison (6-14, 2B, 3B, RBI, BB), Wilson Ramos (3-11, 2B, RBI, BB), Steven Souza Jr. (6-20, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB)

Noteworthiness

— Reinforcements are expected this weekend! Brad Boxberger and Wilson Ramos are both expected to make their 2017 debuts with the Rays this weekend, potentially as early as Friday. Boxberger will, ideally, help stabilize a beleaguered bullpen, while Ramos — who helped Washington’s pitchers earn a 3.45 ERA with him behind the plate, while also cultivating a 33.3% caught stealing rate — will be a nice addition to the roster, both offensively and defensively.

Heard from someone in AAA Durham clubhouse Ramos was saying goodbyes last night, so maybe he joins #Rays sooner than Sunday?

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 23, 2017

We will have a roster update when either of the two (or both) are activated from the DL.

— The Rays signed right-handed reliever Mike Broadway, and assigned him to Double-A Montgomery.

— INF Michael Martinez, who was designated for assignment this week, cleared waivers and elected for free agency. Good riddance.

LBWMF: Cobb, Sucre and Dickerson lead the Rays to victory over the Reds, 6-5

June 21, 2017 By Schmitty Leave a Comment

The new Bash Brothers? Sure, why not! (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

Coming off an imperfect 6-5 win* against the Cincinnati Reds, the Tampa Bay Rays look to close out their Interleague Series against the southern Ohioans with a win Wednesday afternoon. Erasmo Ramirez (2-2, 6.48 ERA, 4.63 FIP) looks to improve on his last four starts, and will pitch opposite of Tim Adleman (4-3, 4.35 ERA, 5.23 FIP).

In last night’s game, to the detriment of the team, the Rays made trio of outfield misplays, which Kevin Cash described as being “a debacle.” One such play came in the third inning, when Corey Dickerson and Peter Bourjos allowed Adam Duvall’s fly-ball to drop into left-centerfield for a triple. Two pitches later, Eugenio Suarez singled to center, allowing Duvall to score the Reds’ second run of the game. It’s but one example of the type of gaffes that must be cleaned up if the Rays are to have any hope of maintaining relevancy into the fall.

But in spite of the defensive miscues — paired with Tommy Hunter and Alex Colome’s making of things a little too interesting in the eighth and ninth innings — Tampa Bay turned in its 38th win of the season behind Alex Cobb’s strong start, and some timely hitting.

Between the first and third innings Cobb allowed eight hits, yet only one over his last frames. The right-hander fanned six and walked just two. It appears that Cobb has rediscovered his vintage changeup — a pitch that continues to evolve as the season progresses … a pitch that had been his main weapon before his May 2015 Tommy John surgery.

Cobb has gotten more comfortable with it of late, and it’s regained some of its pre-surgery depth; the thing that made it such a dangerous weapon in the first place. He has shaved two-to-three inches of vertical movement off the pitch since the start of the season. For Cobb, the velocity never has been what’s made the pitch deadly, rather it is the movement. Bereft of the late break, his split-change became a meatball over the plate that begged to be crushed.

(Credit: Brooks Baseball)

He threw his split-change 25 times Tuesday — 16 for strikes, 5 whiffs — and 80 total over his past four starts.

Over the last three, four games, there’s been a lot of good signs with it, Cobb said after the game. Working on making it as consistent as my other two pitches. And to get to that I just have to keep throwing it and hopefully find some situations throughout the game where I can work on it and try to get that feel to where I can go to it like I used to when it was my best pitch.

Something that was a rarity in the past, his teammates gave him lots of run support last night, thanks in part to a pair of fourth inning homers by Jesus Sucre and Dickerson.

Talk about hitting a ball on a line! Sucre’s homer had an apex height 38 feet and it became one of the five lowest homers in the StatCast era.

How about a homer with an apex of just 38 feet? This was the Sucre homer just now pic.twitter.com/GwDhBocF93

— Jason Collette (@jasoncollette) June 21, 2017

Two batters later, Dickerson powered an opposite field homer to section 147.

Dickerson’s solo home run

Corey Dickerson lifts a solo home run to left-center field, extending the Rays’ lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the 4th inning

The extra run proved crucial, as it became the ultimate difference in the game.

*Hey now, a win is a win.

The New What Next

Erasmo Ramirez could be pitching today to keep his spot in the rotation. He has struggled over his past four starts, posting two losses and an unsightly 10.05 ERA. On Friday, the Tigers pounded him to the tune of 10 runs (eight earned) in 4-2/3 innings. As I wrote on Saturday, it may be time to move Erasmo back to the ‘pen where he’s been more successful; this outing likely will be a bellwether for the right-hander.

Adleman has been the Reds’ most consistent starter, as he’s gone at least five innings and given up three runs or fewer in each of his last five starts. However, the Reds haven’t capitalized, going 2-3 in those games. Because he’s a fly ball pitcher, Adleman doesn’t generate nearly enough ground balls, leading to one of the worst HR/9 ratios in the league. It will be interesting to see if the 29 year-old right-hander leans on his plus curveball Wednesday afternoon in an attempt to keep the ball in the park. The breaking pitch ranks fifth in whiffs per swing, and it has been above average at inducing grounders and making it a tough pitch to do anything with. He’s also cultivated a .000 ISO and a .133 BAA with the curveball, although he’s thrown it just 10% of the time this season — down from 18% a season ago. He has never faced the Rays.

Rays 6/21/17 Starting Lineup

Smith CF
Dickerson DH
Souza Jr. RF
Morrison 1B
Plouffe 2B
Robertson SS
Featherston 3B
Bourjos LF
Sucre C
Ramirez RHP

Noteworthiness

— Day game after a night game, neither Evan Longoria nor Colby Rasmus are in the lineup. Tim Beckham, who is mending from an HBP in Monday’s game, should be back in the lineup when the Orioles come to town Friday.

— Wilson Ramos was the DH yesterday for the Durham Bulls and went 1-for-4 with a two-run double. Brad Boxberger is expected to pitch today for the Bulls. Both are expected to join the team this weekend; Boxberger on Friday, and Ramos on Sunday.

LBWMF: Tampa Bay Rays fall to last place Cincinnati Reds, 7-3

June 20, 2017 By belowaverage Leave a Comment

A rare positive from last night’s ball game — Mallex Smith has hit safely in all 11 games he’s appeared since Kiermaier’s injury (the longest streak for a Ray this season). (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays wasted early opportunities last night, while Jake Odorizzi put them in a three-run hole, en route to a 7-3 loss to the last place Cincinnati Reds. In lieu of a formal game recap, below are a few of the moments that mattered Monday night.

Source: FanGraphs

— Jake Odorizzi extended his streak of consecutive starts with a home run allowed to 10; he now has yielded homers in 18 of his last 19 starts (excluding April 15, when he exited the game with a left hamstring strain). 73% of the runs he has given up this season have come via the long ball (27-of-37).

Still, Odorizzi sailed through the first four innings and allowed only soft contact against a Reds team that swung the bat as though they were playing in the getaway game of the series. To his credit, Odorizzi was serviceable throughout his start, and kept his team in the game.

Good to see (Odorizzi) bounce back, said Rays manager Kevin Cash. He did a nice job. I know he gave up the two homers, but that’s all he gave up. I thought his approach was really good today; attacking the strike zone. Kind of lost it there for one inning a little bit, but overcame it. I thought he was really good, efficient, up in the zone quite a bit. And got a lot of fly outs. Kind of his strength to pitching.

— Sure, Derek Norris has allowed 20 more steals than second-worst catcher, Russell Martin. Last night, however, he caught Scooter Gennett stealing in the top of the first inning. Is it enough to save his job when Wilson Ramos makes his debut with the Rays later this week? Likely not.

Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) said it best on Sunday:

Norris is hitting .191 (though with eight homers) and in a 7-for-59 skid while having a league-most six errors and six passed balls and being responsible for some of the team’s 32 wild pitches. Plus, there is the possibility he will be suspended by MLB as it continues to investigate allegations by his former fiancee of physical and emotional abuse.

Sucre doesn’t have the power but hits well with runners in scoring position, has the arm to be aggressive in shutting down a running game, and works well with the pitchers. Being out of options, he can’t be sent to the minors without going through waivers and would likely to be claimed.

— Down by three, the Rays used the long-ball to pull even with the Reds late in the game.

Steven Souza Jr. plated the first run for the Rays in the sixth inning with his 14th home run of the season. The homer hit the C-ring catwalk, and had an exit velocity of 104.4 mph with a 36-degree launch angle, per Statcast. It would have traveled an estimated 397 feet.

Souza Jr. homers off the catwalk

Steven Souza Jr. hits a home run off the catwalk at Tropicana Field to get the Rays on the board in the bottom of the 6th inning

Daniel Robertson knotted things up with a two-run blast off Michael Lorenzen in the seventh inning. Robertson’s homer had a 103.4 mph exit velocity, with a 28-degree launch angle per StatCast.

Robertson’s two-run homer

Daniel Robertson evens the score at 3 in the bottom of the 7th inning with a two-run home run to center field

Robertson has driven in eight runs in the last five games, doubling his RBI total.

Last week or so, I made a couple of adjustments, so I’m feeling good, said Robertson. The offense was a little slow to start tonight, so the homer was big to pick us up. Honestly, (I was]) just trying to see the ball in that situation. I just told myself to hand it to the next guy and kind of keep the rally going. I was able to get a pitch with two strikes to my liking and put a good swing on it.

— Tie game be damned, the ‘pen (more specifically Jose Alvarado and Danny Farquhar) paired up to give the game away in the final two frames. Alvarado took over in the eighth inning and gave up a double, a single, and ultimately the lead. In the span of four pitches, Robertson’s two-run homer was erased.

After Alvarado walked Adam Duvall, Cash called upon de fact0 LOOGY Farquhar to tip-toe around the mess. Tip-toe he did not. Farquhar uncorked the first of two wild pitches, before notching a strikeout. Yet after an intentional walk loaded the bases, Jesse Winker hit a single that went just beyond the dive of second baseman Taylor Featherston.

The Reds added a two-out run in the ninth on Farquhar’s second wild pitch of the night.

— In the bottom of the fourth inning, Tim Beckham was hit on the hand by a fastball that came up and in on him. Beckham stayed in to run the bases, but was removed the next half inning. The X-Rays on his hand, thankfully, came back negative, although it’s uncertain whether we’ll see the shortstop over the rest of the series.

Rays Radio posted a postgame interview with Beckham, about the HBP, embedded below:

The New What Next

The second game of the series is finds Alex Cobb (5-5, 4.17 ERA, 4.29 FIP) starting opposite of southpaw Amir Garrett (3-5, 6.91 ERA, 6.97 FIP).

Cobb earned a no-decision in his start Thursday against Detroit, but hurled an effective 6-2/3 innings and allowed two earned runs. The right-hander fanned just three batters, and walked a pair while giving up eight hits in that start, although he was able to lean on his split-change — throwing it 17 times (12 for strikes, two whiffs), which is a lot compared to the number he threw earlier in the season. The Tigers only put two of them in play, and the pitch did appear to regain some of its pre-surgery depth. In his only career start against the Reds, he threw seven scoreless frames.

Garrett notched his first quality start in over a month on Wednesday, throwing six innings of two-run ball against San Diego. To his credit, he kept the ball down in the zone, something he struggled to do over his last several starts. Beware of the long-ball! In that contest, Hunter Renfroe hit a monstrous two-run homer in the sixth inning. With a 2.57 HR/9 over the last 14 days, the Rays will try to punish Garrett for any mistakes left up in the zone. This season Garrett has relied primarily on a 92 mph four-seam fastball with natural sinking action, and an 80 mph 12-6 slider. He’s also mixed in an 81 mph changeup with slight cut and a lot of backspin. He has never faced the Rays.